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Baseball clinics · Ages 5–18

Baseball

Throwing, fielding, hitting, and baserunning, taught with arm care in mind.

Our baseball clinics are built around fundamentals that carry to every position: a sound, repeatable throwing motion, fielding with the glove out front, a balanced swing, and smart baserunning. Throwing follows a gradual progression with arm care in mind, and we keep throwing volume controlled. Older athletes finish with the infield, outfield, hitting, and baserunning evaluations common at junior high and high school tryouts.

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Why technique matters

Good mechanics are what hold up under pressure.

Our technique-first approach →

Baseball rewards the routine play made routinely. A throw that comes from a consistent arm path and a step toward the target arrives where the first baseman can catch it; a ground ball fielded out front with two hands turns into an out instead of an error. Mechanics are what make those plays repeatable, especially when the ball is hit hard or the game is close.

Throwing mechanics are also a big part of arm care. A motion that uses the legs, hips, and trunk spreads the work across the body instead of asking the arm to do it alone. We pair sound mechanics with the habits widely recommended for young throwers: a proper warm-up, a gradual build-up in distance and effort, real rest, and following the pitch-count and rest guidelines from USA Baseball and MLB Pitch Smart. Arm pain is never something to throw through; it’s a question for a licensed health care provider.

At tryouts, coaches typically watch athletes throw, field ground balls and fly balls, hit, and run. They tend to look for a clean throwing motion, soft hands and good footwork, a balanced swing, and an athlete who runs hard and knows where to go. Those are coachable skills, and they are the heart of our clinics.

What we teach

The baseball skills we build.

Each skill is taught with the cues our coaches use at every station — short phrases athletes can repeat to themselves at home.

Throwing and arm care

Every position starts with a good throw. We teach the motion as a progression and build arm care into every throwing session.

  • Four-seam grip: fingers across the wide seams, ball in the fingertips
  • Throwing progression: wrist flicks, one knee, feet set, then full throws
  • Glove side points at the target, then tucks to the chest
  • Step toward the target and let the hips lead the shoulders
  • Warm up before throwing, build distance gradually, and rest
  • Follow USA Baseball and MLB Pitch Smart guidance for pitch counts and rest days

Infield fielding

Fielding ground balls is about footwork and glove position as much as hands.

  • Take a prep step (a small, balanced hop) as the pitch crosses the plate
  • Approach under control and field the ball out front, in a triangle with the feet
  • Two hands: glove open on the ground, throwing hand above it
  • Funnel the ball to the belly, then move the feet toward the target before throwing

Outfield play

Outfielders need a good first step, efficient routes to the ball, and throws to the right base.

  • Drop step and turn on balls hit over your head; don’t backpedal
  • Run on the balls of your feet to keep your eyes steady
  • Catch above the throwing shoulder with two hands
  • Hit the cutoff (the infielder lined up to relay your throw)

Hitting

A good swing is balanced, short to the ball, and long through it. We teach it in stages: stance, load, stride, and swing.

  • Balanced stance, middle knuckles lined up, hands near the back shoulder
  • Load: hands back as weight shifts slightly onto the back leg
  • Short, soft stride with the front foot landing closed (toes pointed toward the plate)
  • Hips lead and the hands stay inside the ball
  • “Short to it, long through it”: a compact path to the ball and full extension after contact

Baserunning

Good baserunning takes extra bases and avoids easy outs.

  • Run hard through first base on a ground ball; don’t leap at the bag
  • Take a banana turn (a slight arc) on balls hit to the outfield
  • Pick up the base coach when the play is behind you
  • Know the outs and where the ball is before every pitch
  • Tag up on fly balls with fewer than two outs
By age band

What baseball looks like at every age.

5–8

Foundations

Throwing and catching with correct basic form, fielding rolled balls, hitting off a tee, and running the bases correctly. Short, active games keep it fun.

9–11

Builders

Full throwing mechanics through the throwing progression, ground-ball and fly-ball fundamentals, a swing built on load, stride, and turn, and baserunning basics. This is where arm care habits start.

12–14

Pre-Tryout

Tryout-ready infield and outfield work, throwing accuracy and footwork, hitting off the tee and front toss (short, soft pitches from behind a screen), and position work. We run the drills athletes are likely to see at junior high and freshman tryouts.

15–18

Varsity Prep

Refinement and speed: quicker transfers (moving the ball from glove to throwing hand), throws on the move, situational hitting, and baserunning reads. We focus on game-situation decisions and the details varsity-level coaches tend to evaluate.

Common fixes

The habits we correct most.

Most mistakes are habits, not ability. Here’s what we see most often in baseball — and the fix we coach.

The habitThrowing hard without warming up
The fixCold arms shouldn’t throw at full effort. Every throwing session starts with a warm-up and builds distance and effort gradually. Cue: “start close, build out.”
The habitFielding with the glove under the body
The fixA ball fielded under the body is hard to see into the glove. We teach fielders to field it out front with two hands. Cue: “out front, two hands.”
The habitThrowing without stepping to the target
The fixThrowing flat-footed or across the body puts the work on the arm and sends the ball off line. We teach the glove side to point and the front foot to step at the target. Cue: “point, step, throw.”
The habitPulling the head off the ball
The fixWhen the head pulls out, the eyes leave the ball and the swing follows. We teach a quiet head and contact out front. Cue: “see it, stay on it.”
The habitSlowing down before first base
The fixRunners who ease up or leap at the bag lose time. We teach running hard through the front edge of the base and breaking down after. Cue: “run through it, not to it.”
A clinic, day by day

What a baseball clinic covers.

Weekend Clinics run Days 1 and 2. The Tryout Intensive adds Day 3: tryout-style drills and game situations.

Day 1

Throwing and fielding

  • Dynamic warm-up and throwing progression with arm care
  • Throwing mechanics: grip, glove side, step, and follow-through
  • Infield ground balls: ready position, fielding out front, and footwork to throw
  • Outfield fly balls: drop steps, routes, and hitting the cutoff
  • Defensive situations game with coach feedback
Day 2

Hitting and baserunning

  • Warm-up and throwing progression
  • Hitting stations: tee work, front toss, and stance, load, stride, swing
  • Baserunning: running through first, rounding bases, tagging up, and reading the base coach
  • Pitching fundamentals for interested athletes, in limited volume
  • Situational game play with coach feedback
Day 3Tryout Intensive

Tryout simulation

  • Tryout-style warm-up and throwing evaluation
  • Infield and outfield stations, run the way many tryouts run them
  • Hitting evaluation rounds
  • Baserunning evaluation and game situations: cutoffs, relays, and force plays
  • Individual feedback and a short list of what to keep working on before tryouts
Marked moments

When baseball tryouts usually happen.

We schedule baseball tryout intensives in the 2–6 weeks before typical January – February tryouts, which often includes winter break, with throwing volume built up gradually.

Full tryout calendar →
High school season
Spring
Typical tryout window
Typically January – February
Junior high
Middle school baseball timing varies by district and school, so check the school website or ask the athletic office during the fall semester.

This reflects the typical CIF Southern Section calendar; LA City Section schools and individual programs vary, so confirm dates with your school’s athletic department.

Upcoming baseball clinics

Clinic dates are being set for baseball. Join the list and we’ll email you the moment registration opens near you.

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Clinic day

What to bring.

Bring your own equipment if you have it. Questions about gear? Ask us.

  • Glove
  • Bat (optional; bring your own if you have one)
  • Batting helmet (bring your own if you have one)
  • Baseball cleats or athletic shoes
  • Athletic cup (recommended)
  • Water bottle and a healthy snack, labeled with your athlete’s name
  • Sunscreen and a hat
Baseball FAQ

Questions about baseball clinics.

Do you teach pitching?

We teach pitching fundamentals, including balance, direction toward the plate, and a repeatable delivery, to athletes who are interested, and we keep pitching volume limited with rest built in. We use USA Baseball and MLB Pitch Smart guidance as our reference, and we encourage families to track pitch counts and rest days across every team their athlete plays on. Pitchers who want ongoing development often work with a dedicated pitching instructor, and our clinic work is meant to support that, not replace it. Any arm pain should be checked by a licensed health care provider.

My child has only played rec baseball. Is that enough?

Yes. Rec leagues do a great job introducing the game, and many of our athletes come straight from them. What a rec season often doesn’t have time for is individual, detailed technique work, and that’s what a clinic adds. Athletes are grouped by age band, and coaches adjust each drill to the player’s level.

Will my child get reps at a specific position?

Everyone works on throwing, fielding, hitting, and baserunning, because every position needs them. In the Pre-Tryout and Varsity Prep bands, we add position-group work for infielders and outfielders, plus pitching fundamentals for interested athletes. If your athlete is aiming for a particular position at tryouts, let the coaches know on the first day so they can point them to the right reps.

Is this the same as a tryout?

No. Elevate does not field teams, so a clinic is instruction, not an evaluation for a roster. The tryout intensive includes a tryout-style day so athletes know what the stations will look like. No clinic can promise a spot on a team; our goal is that your athlete arrives prepared, with a healthy arm and confidence in the fundamentals.

Other sports

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Registration opens county by county

Get your athlete ready for baseball season.

Join the list with your sport, age band, and city. We’ll email you when a clinic opens near you — no commitment until you register.

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